Chapter 22: The Prince An Estate, A Drinking Contest at the One-Drunken Tower

Although Luo Qianfan thought this to herself, not a hint of it showed on her face; instead, she remained all smiles. To her, skepticism from others was inevitable. As long as the other party harbored no malicious intent, there was no need to overthink it, or she would simply exhaust herself.

"By the way, Lady Lie, you mentioned that you suffered this misfortune because of General Lie. Have you ever suspected that this was all intentionally orchestrated by someone wanting to eliminate the child in your womb, or perhaps even you yourself?" Luo Qianfan paused before adding that final sentence.

This remark not only tactfully shifted the conversation and dissolved the momentary awkwardness between the two, but it also sowed seeds of suspicion between monarch and subject, paving the way for her future plans. Before coming to the Fengyue Kingdom, Luo Qianfan had naturally learned of the discord between General Lie and the Fengyue royal family, though she had not expected to encounter it so soon.

The Prime Minister’s residence and the General’s estate represented two different classes, one civil and one military, keeping each other in check through constant infighting. General Lie had been stationed at the borders for years, but his sudden recall to the capital this year could only be attributed to the petty-mindedness and rampant paranoia of those in power. However, General Lie’s supporters in the court were few and far between, consisting mostly of military officers.

In contrast, the Prime Minister’s residence held the upper hand. Openly, they were the favorites who controlled the appointment of most officials, with countless disciples and followers; in the shadows, they had already defected to the Crown Prince’s side. They were truly like venomous scorpions, dedicated to eliminating dissent for the heir.

Lady Lie had not realized this until Luo Qianfan brought it up. Now that she thought about it, it really did make sense. Her husband was now a general commanding three hundred thousand elite troops. After years of campaigns, his benevolent deeds wherever he went had won him the hearts of the people, and his standing had risen accordingly. As the saying went, a tall tree catches the wind; it was inevitable that some would harbor resentment.

"But even if..." *Hiss...*

The astute Lady Lie realized the truth in an instant. Her figure trembled, and she drew a deep breath. Her eyes, clear as a mountain spring, widened, and her vermilion lips parted slightly.

"It must be someone from the royal family! That blockhead—I told him long ago not to be so honest and to leave himself a way out. Look, he didn't listen to me, and now look at the trouble he's in!"

Although Lady Lie was a woman, she oversaw all the affairs of the General’s estate, so she was well-versed in the political climate. Seeing the flush of anger on her face, Luo Qianfan smiled helplessly. "It seems General Lie is quite henpecked. I truly admire your commanding presence, my lady."

Lady Lie did not play coy; she did not offer a hypocritical rebuttal to Luo Qianfan’s joke, effectively acknowledging her status in the household. However, Luo Qianfan was not naive enough to believe she had already gained the woman's absolute trust.

"But there is no need to be overly anxious. Concern leads to confusion, and perhaps things are not as dire as you imagine. As far as I know, General Lie commands three hundred thousand troops, not to mention his estate guards and hidden agents. Even for the royal family, moving against the General’s estate would be no easy feat. Furthermore, without a legitimate excuse, the possibility of the General being in danger is extremely slim. You might as well wait for news from him."

Seeing a strange look flicker across Lady Lie's fair face, Luo Qianfan continued unhurriedly, "Rather than the General meeting with foul play, I find it more likely that he has simply been distracted by his travels and forgotten to return home."

The light, melodic voice of Luo Qianfan once again stirred Lady Lie’s thoughts as she watched her furrow her brows. Travels? The idea took root in Lady Lie’s mind. She looked into the distance, her eyes clear as water yet tinged with a faint chill, as if she could see through everything.

That was it. Given that blockhead’s temperament, it was entirely possible he had simply lost track of time while playing. He really was a worry. If that was the case, just wait until he returned—she would show him a thing or two.

***

At this moment, General Lie, who was drinking and enjoying himself in the city of Shangyuan, had no idea he was already being targeted by the fiercest tigress in his household.

"Achoo! A-achoo... Is someone cursing me?"

"Xiaobei, Xiaobei..." A thick, clear voice rang out from the private room on the top floor.

"Coming, General." Xiaobei entered the room, looking utterly miserable as he watched his master, who was already tipsy but still insisted on challenging others to drinking bouts. "What are your orders, General?"

In truth, one could hardly blame Xiaobei for his mood. Take this current situation, for example. The General had known full well that the invitation to the Yizui Tower was a trap, yet he had stupidly walked right in to be made a fool of, only to suffer a crushing defeat. Such a feat could only be accomplished by the illustrious General Lie. It was a classic case of one willing to beat and the other willing to be beaten! Why couldn't the General just understand?

Everyone in the capital knew that while the General’s estate was prestigious and storied, it had produced a once-in-a-millennium drunkard. And why was he a "once-in-a-millennium" drunkard? It was no compliment; on the contrary, it was a mockery. A man who got drunk at the mere touch of alcohol yet was obsessed with it—it was truly a miracle.

The General’s love for alcohol would have been a trivial matter, but once, at a royal banquet, he had gotten drunk and caused a scene. Fortunately, he hadn't done anything treasonous, but it had given the royals a perfect excuse to strip him of his military power. Lady Lie had tried to lecture him several times, but since she was half to blame for his obsession, she had always let it slide.

Back before Lady Lie married the General, he had been the heartthrob of many young maidens in the capital. "Elegant and refined" were his defining traits. But who would have thought that a man of his stature would set his sights on Lady Lie?

At the time, Lady Lie was not only stunningly beautiful, but her father was the Prince of An, who was at the height of his power. She had been the ideal partner for many noble youths. Their union should have been a perfect match, but in her youth, Lady Lie was mischievous and vivacious, and she had no patience for weak, effeminate noble sons.

Most people did not favor the pairing, and many even set up betting pools, turning the matter into a public laughingstock. But the young General refused to believe it. He brought a massive dowry to the Prince of An’s mansion, only to be turned away by a single sentence from the maid, Xing’er. The message left by the Prince of An’s mansion had stirred countless hearts.

"Hey, the Yizui Tower..."

"Could the daughter of the Prince of An be looking for someone to challenge her to a drinking contest?"

"Why don't we go and try? Maybe we can win the beauty's hand and rise above the rest. Hahaha!"

"Hahaha..."

"I think you're just daydreaming..."

The declaration from the Prince of An’s mansion instantly caused quite a stir. The seemingly casual remark was actually a clever scheme. It had effortlessly discouraged the General from his marriage proposal while preserving the reputation of the Prince of An’s mansion—killing two birds with one stone. The Prince of An’s mansion certainly knew how to play the game!

Three days later, at the Yizui Tower.

Before dawn, the renowned Yizui Tower was already bustling with guests. The patrons were chatting and laughing, and the establishment was more lively than usual.

"I heard the daughter of the Prince of An booked the entire restaurant early this morning. Everyone who comes in gets free food and drink, and the Prince of An’s mansion is footing the bill for everything today."

"That’s wonderful!"

"I want to see who will win the beauty’s heart today, hahaha!"

Suddenly, the restaurant was surrounded by a diverse crowd. People came to watch the spectacle, some hoping for a free meal, others working at the tavern, all creating a scene of absolute luxury.

In the center of the restaurant sat a large table. At the head sat a person dressed in orange robes and black boots, with long, loose hair. The heavy bags under their eyes betrayed two days of severe sleep deprivation, yet their straight posture and broad shoulders gave off an air of security, and their deep eyes burned with infatuation. This was the formidable General Lie, though he currently looked completely defeated.

After a moment of commotion, someone shouted, "The daughter of the Prince of An is here!"

The crowd inside and outside the tavern instinctively cleared a winding path, just wide enough for one person to pass through. All eyes focused on the entrance.

A handsome "young master" dressed in a white-and-green fitted military uniform walked in, stepping as gracefully as if walking on clouds. Behind her, Xing’er was equally impressive, having also donned men's clothing to match her mistress. The two of them instantly captivated the hearts of many young women.

The crowd realized in an instant that this was the protagonist of the day—the daughter of the Prince of An. The men present all cast lecherous glances at her, as if they wanted to bore a hole through her, which was an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. Sure enough, a sharp glare cut through the air. Most of the men, aside from a few bold ones, looked away toward Xing’er, seemingly unafraid of her. After all, she was just a maid.

But they didn't expect Xing’er to land a heavy punch, proving herself even more violent and terrifying than her mistress. Having followed her mistress for so many years, Xing’er had no other skills, but she possessed raw strength, making her a true tomboy. With that, the men’s lascivious desires vanished into thin air.

The young ladies in the restaurant, however, looked at her with envy and resentment.

"Look at her, dressed like that. I wonder who she's trying to seduce."

"Exactly, shameless..."

"Oh, my dream lover is gone..."

Lady Lie ignored these comments, treating them as if she were watching a free clown show. Her gaze remained fixed on General Lie as she muttered to herself.

"It seems he hasn't had an easy time these past two days."

Her expression darkened as she walked over.

"Hey, you really have some nerve. Looking at this display, you're not giving up, are you? Huh!" Lady Lie glared at the General with indignation, clearly hoping to make him retreat in the face of difficulty.